Mopstick head



March 28, 1933. .1. w. WQHLHIETER 1,903,013

MOPSTICK HEAD Filed Mafoh 25. 1931 INVENTOR JOSEPH W. WO/lL/f/ETER m a MATTORNEY Patented Mar. 28, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE A,

JOSEPH w. WOHLHIETER, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, AssIGiIoa T KnYsToivESTAMPING CORPORATION,A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY MOPSTICK HEADApplication-filed March 25, 1931. Serial No. 525,066.

I While this invention relates in general to m opstick heads it relatesmore particularly 7 to that type having substantially inverted T- shapedgripping jaws extending transversely to the handle stick, and the shankor stem of one of which is pivotally connected to the shank or stem ofthe other for transverse gripping and releasing movements. Commonlythese jaws are pressed into gripping relation by means of some sort ofpositively acting screw clamping device which also may be operated torelease the jaws. Commonly also only one of these jaws is movable, theother jaw having a fixed relation dle stick of the mop, so that when amop is gripped between these jaws it is out of center line with thehandle stick, thereby obviously rendering the use of the mopstick moreor less inconvenient, as well as less effective.

Among the objects of this invention are to provide an improved mopstickwhich may be conveniently and quickly operated for gripping or releasingthe mop and which will be convenient and effective in use for moppingpurposes. More general objects of the invention are to provide a mophead construction which is light, strong, durable, of few parts,

and of which the major parts may be cone veniently and inexepensivelystamped and formed from suitable sheet metal. Other and more particularobjects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear.

In carrying out the invention, a pair of gripping jaws which are pivotedtogether are operated in their gripping action through the intermediaryof a spring which is interposed in the operating connections. Also eachof such jaws is separately pivotally mounted on a head member by whichboth of the jaws are carried, this head member being firmly and rigidlysecured on the lower end portion of the handle stick. As a furtherfeature of the invention, the pivotally connected stems or shanks of theT-shaped gripping jaws have a relatively longitudinally sliding camengagement with a cooperating cam element where-V to the han verticalsection on the stationarily suppprted relatively to the above noted headmem er and may convenientlybe formed in the same piece therewith, whilethe pivotal connection between the jaws has sliding movementlongitudinally of such head member and the handle stickto whichit issecured. The invention further includes various features of constructionand combinations of parts, as will appear from the followingdescription. V

One embodiment of the invention, shown in the accompanying drawing, willnow be par-V ticularly described and thereafter the invention will bepointed out in claims, reference now being had to the drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a mopstick head construction embodying theinvention, secured on the lower end portion of a handle stick andshowing the grippingjaws as closed, but with the mop itself omitted; j v

Fig. 2 is a; reduced inverted planview of Fig. 1; r o

Fig. 3 is a front elevation as viewed from the right in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a similar view in partial central line 44 of Fig. 1; and J i VFig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. lbu't with the gripping jaws open andis in otherre'-- spects a central vertical sectiononthe line 5 5ofFig.3.i m r The embodiment of the invention shown in the drawing will now beparticularly described with reference to such drawing. The lower endportion of a handle stick 1 is shown as flattened on one side as at 2,and this lower" end portion may be slightly tapering-if so desired. Thisend portion of the stick '1 snugly fits withina rather long ferrulesocket 3 having a flattened side wall 4 which cooperates with theflattened side 2 of the handle stick to prevent rotationof the latter inthe ferrule 3, as well as also serving a'further purpose, as willhereinafter appear. In the embodiment of the invention shown inthedrawing, the ferrule 3 constitutes the inner, or upper" portion of aone-piece head member which;

whichcomprises a pair of similar opposite fiat parallel side walls 5 anda pair of opposed and 5. If desired, for the sake of increasedv strengthin the rear flaring wall 6, of course the adjacent edges of the sheetmetal along this seam 8 may be soldered or otherwise secured together,asindicated in Fig. 5.

It will be noted from the drawing that the parallel walls 5 are spaced agreater distance from one anotherwthan the diameter of the ferrule 3, soas thereby to form outer shoulders 9 at'the points of junction andmerging together of these walls 5 and the flaring walls 6, with thecircular portions of the walls of the ferrule 3. It may be noted also inthis connection that the flat wall 1 of this ferrule 3 is at the front,adjacent the front flarmg wall 6-. Half way between the above noted cammembers 7 and in a plane which is coincident with the axes of the handlestick 1 and ferrule 3, the edges of the respective parallel walls 5 haveinturned projections or lugs 10- which constitute cam members and thelateral edges of which form cam guides. The purpose of these cam members7 and 10 will be presently described. At'a middle point of their widthand also in the above noted axial plane, the parallel walls 5 havethrough them rather long straight longitudinal slots 11, the purpose ofwhich will also presently appear.

In further carrying out the invention in accordance with the embodimentthereof shown in the drawing, a pair of substantially similar generallyT-shaped mop-gripping members or gripping jaws 12, having stems orshanks 13 formed in the same piece therewith, are-provided. Thesegripping members or jaws 12, as a .whole, to include their stems 13, mayeach be desirably stamped and shaped from suitable heavy and strongsheet metal,

so as to have'a minimum of weight together with a maximum of strength.The T-heads 12 extend transversely in parallel relation with one anotherand are movable to and from one another for releasably gripping andholding a mop (not shown) between them. Each of these mop-gripping heads12 is shown as of nearly semi-circular arcuate shape in cross sectionand as tapering outwardly from its stem 13, which latter is shown as ofa substantially rectangular rather shallow trough shape in crosssection,'with the web portion of said trough slightly longitudinallyconcavely curved, while the flanges of this web are slightly conveXlycurved along their edges, with a gradual taper towards the end of thestem 13, as clearly shown in the drawing. The outer or lowermop-gripping edges of the T-heads 12 may be desirably provided withrelatively interfitting undulations, as shown at 14: in Fig. 2, forthereby more securely holding the gripped mop between them, or thesegripping edges may be otherwise shaped for effectively serving. thispur- OSG. p The trough-shaped or substantially U- .shaped stems orshanks 13 of the gripping aw members extend upwardly into the abovedescribed projecting receptacle or socket, with their flanges at theirinner ends disposed inoverlapping relation with one another for therespective stems 13 and there pivotallyconnected together. The shape orcontour of these stems 13 are such that their web portions form cammembers which have a sliding cooperating engagement with the cams formedby the outwardly curved cam edges 7 of the flaring walls 6, while theadjacent inner edges of the-flanges of these stems 13 form sliding cammembers which have a cooperating engagement with the inturned cam lugs10 on the edges of the parallel walls 5, as clearly shown in thedrawing, particularly in Figs. 1 and 5.

The inner or upper ends of the stems 13 of the gripping jaws 12 arepivoted together by means of pivot pins or journals 15 passing throughtheir overlapping flanges and extending out through the guide slots 11,to the outer sides of the flat parallel walls 5, being slidably guidedfor longitudinal movement along these slots 11 almost but not quitethroughout the length of these longitudinal slots, as clearly indicatedin the drawing in Figs. 1, 3 and 1 for the inner or upper position, andin Fig. 5 for the lower or outer position. The pivot pins 15 have innerturnedov'er end portions 16 for preventing their escape outwardly. Atthe outer sides of the walls 5 these pivot pins 15 have substantiallysimilar turned-over portions 17 which are continued as extensions toform a pair of substantially upwardly extending operating links. Theupper end portions of these links 17 are rebent inwardly in the form ofhooks 18. These hook. ends 18 "of the links 17 are pivotally connectedto the projecting side edge portions of a longitudinally curved sheetmetal handle lever 19 of substantially usual form.

The inner end of this handle lever 19 is shown as provided with an eye20 by means. of which it is pivotally connected to the upper terminalconvolution of a substantially usual coiled compression spring or thrustspring 21 which surrounds the ferrule socket 3 and the other or lowerend of which abuts against theabove noted outer shoulders 9. In theconstruction shown in the drawing, idle upward shifting movement ofthisspring 21 is prevented and also at the same time the ferrule 3 of theabove described head member is further secured on the handle stick 1,

by means of a staple 22 which engages over the lowermost convolution ofthe spring21 and passes through the wall of theferrule 3 into the handlestick 1 adjacent to its lower end. However, it is obvious that variousother substantially different devices could be utilized for servingeither one or the other or both of these purposes. It may be noted thatthe flattened side wall 4 of the ferrule 3 provides a desirable freespace as well as also a bearing surface for the pivot eye of the handlelever 19 on the coil of the spring It is believed that the manner ofoperation and advantages of the invention should be clearly evident fromthe preceding descripdepending upon the thickness of the ma terial ofthe mop. In such case, the slidable pivots 15 of the jaw members 12 willbe stopped by the gripped mop at a lower point along the guide slots 11than is shown in Fig. 1, for example, and since the handle lever 19 is afloating lever interposed between and pivotally connected to theoperating links 17 and to the spring 21, this handle lever will then bestopped by the links 17 ata lower position than that shown in Figs. 1and 3, by reason of the yielding of the spring 21, which will then befurther compressed. In any case this compressed spring 21, incooperation with the cam members 7 and 13, will hold the gripping jaws12 in secure gripping relation with the interposed mop, re-

gardless of whether the latter is thicker or thinner, and accordinglyholds these jaws apart to a greater or a less extent.

During the first or initial part of movement of the handle lever 19 awayfrom its locked position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the spring 21 willbe relieved of its compression, and thereafter, with continued outwardand downward movement of this handle lever 19, the operating links 17will move their .pivots 15 outward or downward along the guide slots 11,in which the pivot pins 15 are also pivoted as well as slidable, therebycausing the above described cooperating cam members to spread thegrippingjaws 12 a. considerable distance apart from one another, as isshown in Fig. 5, since the spring 21 is prevented from upward movementas a whole by the staple 22. In view of the fact that both of thegripping jaws 12 are equally pivotally moved relatively to the headmember which includes the ferrule 3, these jaws will at all times andin. any position thereof be symmetrically disposed and at equaldistances from the center line or axes of the handle stick 1 and ferrule3 of the head member upon which these gripping jaws are mounted. Amongvarious modifications in construc-, tion which might be made while stillmore or less effectively carrying out the idea of the invention inaccordance with the principle thereof, it might be noted that the innerends of the stems 13 of the gripping jaws 12 might be deprived of theirsliding.

against shoulders such as 9, for then moving.

these cams outward instead of'moving the pivots 15 and gripping jawsinward, as shown in the drawing. Also it should be obvious from thedrawing that instead of the two separate pivot pins 15, a single pivotpin or the like could extend all of the way across from one side to theother, through the overlapping flanges of the gripping jaw stems 13 atboth sides and out through both slots 11 in the walls 5 of the camsocket, and in fact such a construction in this respect is shown in mylater copen-ding application Serial No. 573,060, filed November5,'1931,,f0r mopstick heads. may be made in the construction shown inthe drawing and above particularly described,

within the principle and scope of the invention as defined in theappended claims. Iclaimzj 1. In a mopstick head construction, the

combination of a head member having a s6 curingpo-rtion by which it maybe attached to a handle stick and having a projecting terminal socketportion of substantially rectangular cross section, said socket portionI having two parallel walls and two outwardly flaring walls, each ofsaidparallel walls being provided with a longitudinal slot, a pair of:

T-shaped' mop-gripping members the T- heads of which form parallelgripping jaws and the stems of which'extend into said socket portionrespectively adjacent to its flaring walls, pivot means connecting theinner ends of said stems and slidable in said slots, the edgeportions ofsaid flaring wallsand the; adjacent outer sides of said stemsformingcooperating cam elements which draw said gripping aws together when saidpivot means is retracted along said slots, a spring acting to retractsaid pivot means along thesaid slots for causing said jaws to grip themop, and manually operable means for re In fact, various modifications-4 1,eos,0 1s

leasing said spring and for thereafter mov ing said pivot meansoutwardly along said jaws to open.-

2. Ina mopstick head construction, the

combination of a head member having a securing portion by which it maybe attached to a handle stick and having a projecting terminal socketportion of substantially rectangular cross section, said socket portionhav-- ing two parallel walls and two outwardly flaring walls, each ofsaid parallel walls being provid'ed with a longitudinal slot, a pair ofT-shaped mop-gripping members the T-heads of which form parallelgripping jaws and the stems of which extend into said socket portionrespectively adjacent to its flaring walls, pivot means connecting theinner ends of said stems and slidable in said slots, the edge portionsof said flaring walls and the adjacent outer sides of said stems formingcooperating cam elements which draw said gripping jaws together whensaid pivot means is retracted along said slots, a cam'guide on saidsocket portion to cooperatewith the adjacent inner sides of said stemsfor spreading said gripping jaws when said pivot means is movedoutwardly along said slots, a spring acting to retract said pivot meansalong the said slots for causing said jaws to grip the mop, and manuallyoperable means for releasing said spring and for thereafter moving saidpivot means outwardly along said slots for thereby opening said grippingjaws.

3.-In a mopstick head construction, the combination of a head memberhaving a securing. portion by which it may be attached to a handlestick, a projecting terminal'socket mounted on said member ofsubstantially rectangular cross section having two parallel walls andtwo outwardly flaring walls, a pair of T-shaped mop-gripping members thestems of which extend into the said socket respectively adjacent to itsflaring walls, pivot means connecting together the inner ends of'thesaid stems, the said pivot means and socket being mounted for relativesliding movement longitudinally of the socket, the edge portion of saidflaring walls and the adjacent outer sides of said stems formingcooperating cam elements which draw said gripping members together whenthe direction of the said relative sliding movement is such that thesaid stems enter into the said socket, a cam guide on said socket tocooperate with the adjacent inner sides of said stems for spreading saidgripping members when the direction of the said relative slidingmovement is such as to move the said stems out of the said socket, aspring acting to produce said relative sliding movement in the directionfor causing said gripping members to grip the mop, and manually operablemeans for releasing said spring and for thereafter imparting saidrelative sliding movement in the direction-for opening said grippingmembers to release the mop.

4. In a mopstick head construction, the combination of a head memberhaving a securing portion by which it may be attached to a handle stick,a projecting terminal socket of substantially rectangular cross sectionhaving two parallel walls and two outwardly flaring walls, a pair ofT-shaped mop-gripping members the stems of which extend into said socketrespectively adjacent to its flaring walls, pivotmeans connectingtogether the inner ends ofsaid stems, the said pivot means and the saidsocket being mounted for relative sliding movement in a directionlongitudinal of the socket, the edge portions of said flaring walls andthe adjacent outer sides of said stems forming cooperating cam elementswhich draw said gripping members together upon relative sliding movementof said pivot means and said socket in a direction to cause the saidstems to enter into the socket, and manually operable operating meansinterposed between the said socket and the said pivot means forproducing the said relative sliding movement in each direction thereof.

5. A mopstick head comprising a member including a handle-receivingsection and a socket section adapted to cooperate with a pair ofgripping jaws, the wall of the socket section having a pair of opposedelongated slots therethrough for a jaw operating element, a springsurrounding the handle-receiving section of the member, a lever pivotedon the spring, a jaw-operating element pivotally secured to the leverand extending through the slots in the wall of the socket section, and

a pair of opposed gripping jaws having stems extending into and beingslidably mounted in the socket section, the said jaw stems beingpivotally secured to the jaw-operating element and the distance betweenthe aw stems when withdrawn into the socket being such that the stemsbear against the wall of the socket in the closed position of the jaws.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my signature.

